Restoring Britishness: UKIP Policy - Part 2

Having read the full policy document, it is clear that it even more ill thought out, inconsistent and out of touch with reality than the summary suggested.

Here is some further comment to go with the earlier comment on the summary:

the British people enjoyed the protections afforded by Magna Carta

No, the English people enjoyed the protections afforded by Magna Carta, a proclamation dating from 1215, some 492 years before the British state existed and a proclamation that has never formed part of Scottish law.

Britishness is also defined by a civic nationalism, which is inclusive, as opposed to religious or racial nationalism, which is exclusive. Civic nationalism is defined by loyalty and identification with the symbols of nationhood, such as the national flag.

Of course it's a civic nationalism, it is a 300 year old political construct that has no racial, ethnic, historical or natural basis.  We spent a couple of thousand years knocking seven shades out of each other and even in the 300 years the union has existed we English have still been universally loathed by the celts.  And the national flag - what an own goal by whoever wrote this policy!  Take a drive around your neighbourhood and count the British flags and your own national flag.  Other than public buildings and company premises you'll be hard pressed to find the butchers apron flying anywhere.  I know of one house - just one - in the whole of Telford (population 160k) that flies a British flag but the English flag is everywhere.  The British flag is a symbol of British imperialistic officialdom to most people, nothing more.

Civic nationalism's real beauty is it is open to all, whatever their ethnic, religious or linguistic background or skin colour, as the only thing the person has to do is self identify as British and demonstrate loyalty and consistency in their beliefs

I am a civic English nationalist and believe exactly the same thing about an English identity and most people in English identify themselves as English.

As UKIP’s Deputy Leader David Campbell Bannerman notes

What is it that leads Brit/Scot politicians to blather on about Britishness in defiance of logic and public opinion, especially the opinion of their fellow countrymen and women who reject Britishness more than any other people on these islands?  I knew he'd have something to do with this.

The Scottish and Welsh nationalists have also fallen for the siren's call from Brussels that a "Europe of the Regions" will be to their advantage, particularly if they can dissolve the UK, despite the fact they would be mere regions of an EU state and not proud nations within a British union

All the more reason to establish an English parliament for all of England, to permanently frustrate the regionalists.  But you see, even in the final sentence, the author acknowledges that we are distinct nations and not one country.

Meanwhile with devolution, the work of Scottish Westminster MPs has diminished and their status undermined

But this is what the Scottish people wanted, it's what they voted for and it's what they continue to support.

By contrast, the United Kingdom has a proud history of tolerance and respect for national identities, legal systems and cultures stretching back through the centuries, and we feel that Welsh, Scottish, English and Northern Irish people can resolve their grievances in a calm, intelligent fashion as part of restoring confidence in the Union.

The British establishment has spent the last 300 years trying to abolish the English identity and nearly succeeded in doing so.  As for tolerance of the Irish - tolerance and respect for national identities?  Don't make me laugh!  England has been a unified nation since 927AD, 780 years longer than the British union.  Where's the respect for the thousand years of history and English identity in this policy?

British Gas

That great symbol of Britishness, who operate under the name Scottish Gas north of the border because of the toxic British brand.

To recognise the importance of the Magna Carta to the British Constitution

There. Is. No. British. Constitution.  Jesus Christ, this really isn't a difficult concept is it?  There is no British constitution, Magna Carta is part of English law and doesn't apply to Scotland.  Same with Habeas Corpus, the Act of Succession, the Bill of Rights - all English constitutional laws that do not apply to the whole of the UK.

All UK Citizens would undergo a ‘Citizenship Ceremony’ to affirm their commitment to British civic values, sign a "Declaration of Citizenship" and undergo an English test.

Does this include those of us that live here already?  I would never attend one of these charades.

cricket is a sport in which Britain celebrates its close ties with Commonwealth friends

My god, it gets worse.  What is British about cricket?  Is there even a Scottish cricket team?

Football, a game invented in the UK, has gone on to become one of the world's most popular sports. It could be said that the British invented both of the world's universal languages (English and football).

Football, a game invented in England.  And the English language was invented by the English, hence why it is called English and not British.

UKIP would support the creation of a British football team composed of players from the Welsh, English, Scottish and Northern Irish teams, which would compete in special games such as the 2012 Olympic football competition and in exhibition games (e.g. Charity Shield), whilst backing Home Nation teams for other tournaments

Ok, find an organisation that isn't backed by the British government that supports a British football team.  There is universal opposition in the supporters clubs of every home nation to a British football team and only the fifth columnists in the English FA (which won't even put the word English in their name) support a British team with the FA's of the other home nations opposed to it.

UKIP will make high quality teaching of British history in schools mandatory

It already is.

UKIP believes all UK citizens must learn a common history and draw from a unified heritage

So history lessons will stop at 300 years ago?

Part of the improved teaching will be a fair and factual analysis of the history of the British Empire, which celebrates its achievements in terms of democracy

And presumably this will include teaching children that the British Empire is the English Empire renamed given that the Scottish Empire consisted of a short-lived colony in Panama that bankrupted the Scottish Crown and led to the Act of Union with England which started a 300 year addiction to English subsidies (bought and sold with English gold).  It won't will it?

UK citizens can be proud Scotsmen, Welshmen and Ulstermen as well as proud Britons

But not Englishmen?

Schools around the UK should also be encouraged to familiarise themselves with the anthems of Home Nations.

England hasn't been allowed a national anthem.  Will one be handed down by the British state or will the British national anthem be substituted as it is now?